To:KARL RADEK

Written:Written June 17 (30), 1917Published:First published November 7, 1932, in Pravda No. 309.

      Sent from Petrograd to Stockholm.

      Printed from the original.Source:Lenin
	  Collected Works,

      Progress Publishers,[1977],

      Moscow,Volume 43,

      pages634c-635.Translated:Martin Parker and Bernard IsaacsTranscription\Markup:R. CymbalaPublic Domain:Lenin Internet Archive

      (2005).You may freely copy, distribute,
	display and perform this work; as well as make derivative and
	commercial works. Please credit “Marxists Internet
	Archive” as your source.•README

17.VI. 1917

Owingto illness I was unable to follow reports during the Last few
days. I therefore have a vague idea of Zimmerwald affairs.

Ifit’s true that that muddled wretched Grimm (no wonderwe never trusted thatministeriablescoundrel!)
has handed over all Zimmerwald affairs to the Left Swedes and that the
latter are convening a Zimmerwald conference within the next few days, then
I—personally (I am writing this only in my own name)—would strongly
warnagainst having anything to do with Zimmerwald

“Whata good chance this is to seize the Zimmerwald International
now,” Grigory said today.

Inmy opinion, this is super-opportunist and harmful tactics.

“Seize”Zimmerwald? That is, to takeupon ourselvesthe dead
weight of the Italian party (the Kautskyites and pacifists), the Swiss
Greulich & Co., the American S. P. (even worse!), all kinds of Peluso,
Longuetists, etc., etc.

Thiswould mean throwing overboard all our principles, forgetting
everything we wrote and said against the Centre, getting ourselves muddled
up and disgraced.

No,if the Left Swedes have taken Zimmerwald into their own hands and
if they want to muddle along, we should put an ultimatumto them:eitherthey declare Zimmerwald dismissed at the very first
Zimmerwald conference and found a Third International, or we quit.

Inany case, that vile (“Grimm-controlled”—itisGrimm’s
after all) Zimmerwald should be buried at all costs and arealThird International founded of the Leftsaloneandagainst the
Kautskyites alone. Better a small fish than a big beetle.

Readthis letter to Orlovsky and Hanecki. My best regards.

Excusethe brevity—I’m ill.

Thingshere mostly resemble the eve of the June days of 1848. The
Mensheviks and S.R.s are surrendering all and everything to the Cadets (=4o
the Cavaignacs). Qui vivra
				verra.[1]

Yours,Lenin

[1]Thefuture will show (“we shall live and see”).—Ed.